IT'S pretty easy to see why Daniel O'Donnell and Sir Cliff Richard have become such great showbiz allies of late.

IT'S pretty easy to see why Daniel O'Donnell and Sir Cliff Richard have become such great showbiz allies of late.

They are, quite clearly, united by many factors. There's their music of course (granny-friendly balladry), but there's also their unfashionability, their staunch religious beliefs and they both possess a shared "nice guy'' factor which borders on the highly irritating for many.

One major difference, though - while it took Sir Cliff years to accept his demise from popular fashion (you could say he still doesn't), Ireland's Daniel O'Donnell embraced his own unfashionability from day one.

In that sense, he's something of a savvy businessman as much as he is a singer.

His music - swaying Irish Country and Blues with an extra dose of camp - was always ripe for mockery, most famously in an episode of Irish sitcom Father Ted.

However, there is no great secret to his success other than recognising his market (and a big and lucrative one it is, too) and pandering to it with an almost religious-like fervour.

O'Donnell the man is every bit as cosy and saccharine as his music. The last time he played Manchester, he stayed outside the Apollo venue until 1.30am to ensure every fan waiting got an autograph or photo.

The next day, he apparently went to Mass at St Mary's Church, in Levenshulme. It is very unlikely he was hungover.

In return, his fans give him album sales of 1.5 million, a DVD which went straight to number one and sell-out stadium concerts like the one this week at the MEN Arena.

O'Donnell gig virgins be warned - the last time he played Manchester at the Apollo, a group of nuns apparently got over-excited and hysterical at the front of the stage.